User:JPRiley/Barrows

Gridley Barrows (1912–1999) was an American architect in practice in Auburn, Maine from 1956 to 1978.

Life and career
Gridley Barrows was born January 29, 1912 in Brooklyn. He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1929 and Harvard College in 1934. He then entered the Harvard architecture school, but dropped out in 1936 to be a painter. He returned to New York, where he worked on WPA mural projects with well-known artists such as Stuart Davis, Philip Guston and Rico Lebrun. Beginning in 1939 he ran a school for war refugee children from England and Europe in Virginia, joining the war effort directly in 1942. During the war he served in the Navy in the Pacific. In 1946, after returning to New York, he resumed his architecture career, working days for the firm of Voorhees, Walker, Foley & Smith and studying nights at Columbia University. He moved to Boston in 1950, where he worked for Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson & Abbott and finished his education at Harvard.

After earning his degree in 1955 he joined the Boston office of Maine architect Alonzo J. Harriman. When the Boston office was closed the following year he moved to the main office in Auburn. When the firm was reorganized in 1961 as Alonzo J. Harriman Associates, Barrows was among the new principals. From then until his retirement in 1978, Barrows was director of architectural design for the firm. Major works completed by Barrows at Harriman included Nutting Hall of the University of Maine in Orono, the Schaeffer Theatre of Bates College in Lewiston and the Edmund S. Muskie Federal Building and the residence of Jon A. Lund in Augusta.

After his retirement, Barrows focused on public service, and gave his time to the Lewiston Historic Preservation Review Board, Greater Portland Landmarks, Maine Citizens for Historic Preservation and the Maine Arts Festival at Bowdoin College, amongst other organizations. In 1964 he joined the American Institute of Architects as a member of the Maine chapter. He served as chapter vice president for the year 1969–70, and New England regional director for 1977–79. In 1982 he was elected a Fellow.

Personal life
Barrows was married in 1960 to Jean Bradford (Davis) Stocker of Fort Worth, Texas. She died March 8, 1999, followed by Barrows on March 13. Barrows had no children of his own, though his wife had a son, Erik Bradford Stocker, from a previous marriage. After his death his stepson donated his extensive photography collection to the Lewiston Public Library.

Barrows was a devout Christian Scientist, and was First Reader of, and designed the building of, the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Auburn.